Tension between the US and Iran continues to escalate. Following strong statements by US President Donald Trump that they would target Iran's energy and transportation infrastructure, a 6th wave of attacks was launched by US forces.
Two strategic bridges in the Bandar Khamir district of Hormozgan province were hit by an airstrike, and the driver of a civilian vehicle traveling on one of the struck bridges lost their life.
Immediately after the bridges, the attacks targeted the city of Bandar Abbas, near the Strait of Hormuz. According to information reported by Iranian state television, a critical railway junction station in the city was directly hit in an airstrike. Initial reports indicated two people were injured in the resulting explosion. Following the intensified bombardments, the Iranian Ministry of Health announced the grim toll; the number of fatalities in the latest US attacks rose to 38, while the number of injured exceeded 400.
Responding to the bombardments carried out by the US, Iran began striking bases and targets used by US forces in the region with missiles and UAVs. The reciprocal attacks triggered a major alert across the Gulf.
Bahrain's Ministry of Interior announced that sirens were sounding and warned the public to remain calm and move to the nearest safe areas.
The Kuwaiti army announced that its air defense systems had been activated against Iranian-sourced missile and UAV threats, stating that the explosion sounds heard were due to the defense systems.
Qatar's Ministry of Interior requested citizens to stay in their homes and keep away from windows and open areas due to the elevated security threat level. It was reported that a child was injured by falling missile shrapnel.
Qatar's Ministry of Defense, following the sounds of explosions heard over the capital Doha, announced that missiles targeting the country had been intercepted by air defense systems.
The basis for these ongoing heated clashes lies in the threatening statements recently made by US President Donald Trump. Trump had stated that they would destroy Iran's infrastructure facilities if Iran did not come to the negotiation table, using the following words:
"Next week, it will be the turn of power plants and bridges. If they do not come to the negotiation table, we will disable all their power plants and bridges."
The Iranian side had responded without delay to Trump's remarks. Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, Spokesperson for the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff, gave a signal of retaliation in his assessment to state television, warning, "If an attack is launched against Iran's infrastructure, all infrastructure in the region will be our target." Military activity and reciprocal retaliations in the region continue at a critical level.